The World of Miasma
by LegoLad659
Summary: Sequel to "The Crystal Summoner" After Link finds out the name of the entity threatening New Hyrule, he chases after it and finds himself in a new world. However, this world is much more dangerous than New Hyrule, which Link unfortunately finds out the hard way. He is saved by a group of travelers and finds himself tagging along in their adventures as he searches for a way back.
1. Chapter 1

I stood up from the grass I had landed on from diving into the portal earlier. My new location was a forest area, next to a path. The entire area was covered in a sparkling mist, although it didn't seem to have a purpose. Shrugging, I started following along the path, hoping not only to find civilization, but also to not get ambushed by some misunderstanding again, and maybe even find Ariador...

* * *

The loud banging of a hammer could be heard from the workshop in town. The blacksmith inside was making a new sword, stronger and lighter than the one he owned previously. He was hoping to finish it before he needed to depart, but it looked like he would have to get his father to finish it for him, which was fine - It just meant he couldn't look over his work as it finished, satisfied by his craftsmanship as he always was.

"Hey, Michael!" He heard female voice shout from his workshop door "Are you ready to leave? Catherine's waiting on us!"

Michael sighed. Couldn't she learn to knock first? "Yeah, I'm coming." He shouted back, picking up his equipment; Iron armor, a fairly well-crafted sword, and a Mythril shield he made himself. That was always his pride and joy, that shield. Many that met him considered it the best shield they've ever seen.

He headed out to the bridge marking the end of the village, where Catherine was tending to their Papaopamus; A large, blue creature that most people use to pull along their carts, much like horses. Catherine glanced at Michael "Where's Alexis?" she asked.

Michael shrugged "She was the one who told me you were ready to leave."

"That girl, never prepared... By the way, did you finish your sword?"

Michael shook his head "I didn't have time. No worries, though. My father can take it from here."

Catherine thought for a moment "The way you were talking about it, I would have expected it to be done by now. I guess that's what happens when you put blacksmithing and a farmer together."

"_Clavat_." I corrected her "There's a difference."

"Why should I care? In my mind, every Clavat in the world is a farmer, whether in the Fields of Fum or even at Alfitaria."

"Well, at least I'm not a filthy theif."

Catherine stood up quickly, but knelt back down again. _Don't lose your cool, Catherine._ she told herself _There are worse things to fight about._ Her race had always been hated for their natural instincts. With their high agility, the Selkies had developed their way of life around stealing from others. As a result, they were exiled to the large desert island of Lynari, where they made their own settlement, Leuda. They were eventually allowed back into the mainland, although the Clavats are the only ones that will actually permit them to live in their towns.

"There she is..." Michael said, seeing Alexis running towards them "Are you ready to leave? We're waiting on you!" he teased.

"Yep!" She said happily, unphased by Michael's copying of her "Let's go!"

* * *

_Still nothing_... I thought _How far does this road go?_ I had started tiring out from the walking... Or was it something else? I wasn't one to tire out so easily. I was starting to feel strange all over, too. Then I remembered the sparkling mist from earlier, and I started to panic. The mist continued on for miles, seemingly without end. There was no way I would be able to escape it. Maybe that's why I hadn't seen any life since coming here, they were all killed off by this mist. My vision started to blur, and I began to ache all over. _I have to do something..._ I thought as the aching increased _I have to get away!_ But there was nowhere to escape to, the mist covered everywhere along the ground, and at this point I was too weak to climb up the trees. _Is this the end of my journey? Am I going to die here...?_ Were my last thoughts before falling over, unconscious.

* * *

Alexis yawned "Why are we going this way?" she asked.

"There's something I need to get in Marr's Pass." Michael replied "Catherine's shop didn't have it in stock, so I'm hoping it'll be there."

"Don't blame me." Catherine spoke up from the back "It's not my fault you bought all the Mythril I had to make that shield of yours."

"I'm surprised that you didn't have more, considering how long you spent 'collecting' items."

Catherine stood up, angry. Okay, so she didn't manage to get a lot of rare materials like Mythril and Crystal Balls that Michael ended up needing. People didn't bring that kind of stuff with them. This was also before she even knew Michael, during her theiving days. During that time, she was notorious across the entire mainland for being quite possibly the best Selkie thief alive.

Michael swapped places with Alexis, so that she guided the Papaopamus while he argued with Catherine. They always did this, and at this point Alexis just tuned them out while she waited for them to finish. Just to spite them, Alexis skipped through Marr's Pass, to go straight to Cathuridge Mine. She knew the route they had planned, and knew the Michael would insist going there first because it was faster after having gone to Marr's Pass.

"Huh?" Alexis saw something in the distance, sort of like a person... Collapsed on the ground! She stopped the cart, trying to get the attention of her friends. "Uh, guys?" no response, their arguing drowned out her voice "Guys? Guys!" She quickly got fed up, and ran to help the boy on the ground "_Shut up and help me with this_!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"What is it?!" Catherine shouted back, assuming it was something arbitrary. She didn't even look in Alexis' direction.

Michael, however, came out in a blink of an eye. When Alexis shouts, she shouts like no other. Some would call it comparable to a Banshee's scream, but that was debatable. Without saying a word, Michael helped Alexis carry the boy into the cart.

"Thanks, Cathy." Michael told Catherine sarcastically "You were a _big_ help."

Catherine, irritated at Michael's shortening of her name, admitted defeat, making a note to pay more attention in the future.

Michael took the reins again, and headed back to Tipa as fast as possible "How bad is it?" he asked.

"Bad..." Alexis replied grimly "Really, really bad... If we don't make it back in time, he may _die right here_."

Michael nodded, speeding up the Papaopamus as much as he could. There was literally no time to waste.

Alexis looked over the boy; In his early teens, she guessed, he was wearing a strange green tunic and, upon closer inspection, was armed to the teeth. Was he part of a Caravan that left him behind? She could never understand people like that, leaving people to die like this. Although she spent her time working with potions, most of that time was researching medicinal herbs, and she had actually managed to create a cure for the Miasma's long-term effect. That's why they were heading back to Tipa, because she kept the ingredients at home, and the cure was most potent fresh. And at this stage of the process, this boy would need as potent a medicine as possible...

* * *

As soon as they arrived in Tipa, they rushed to Alexis' house, setting the boy on her couch. Catherine and Michael watched over him while Alexis cooked up her cure. Michael and Catherine had a worried expression on their faces as the tension built. Did they make it? Would they be able to save this boy in time? Neither knew the answer to their questions, all centered around this stranger's survival.

"At least he's still breathing..." Michael broke the silence. That wasn't very reassuring however, since it was barely noticeable, and they knew that it would continue to slow down until it stopped completely.

Alexis emerged from her room with a potion in hand. Using one hand to sit the boy up, she poured it down his throat, and laid him back down.

"Will he be alright?" Catherine asked.

Alexis closed her eyes "I have no idea..." this was the first time she actually had no clue whether or not someone under her care would survive; It was a frightening thought for her. Many people in Tipa considered her as the best doctor in town, and many relied on her for help "We'll know for sure in about half an hour, maybe longer."


	2. Chapter 2

My body is stiff and aching all over, and I can hardly move. _What happened...?_ I thought _Oh yeah, I was chasing Ariador and... Could I be dead?_ I slowly opened my eyes _No, I'm definitely not dead._ I was facing upwards at a wooden ceiling _But what was that before? That mist... It obviously did something to me..._

"Hello." I was startled by a voice, and quickly tried to get up. Wincing in pain, I slowly laid back down, a hand on my back helping me "I wouldn't do that, if I were you..." she said, then paused for a moment "You're lucky we found you, you know."

"Wh-... Who are you...?" I managed to ask, before breaking out into a painful coughing fit. I noticed that I exhaled some of the mist each time I coughed, which quickly dissipated.

She shushed me "You're still very weak. I'm afraid you'll have to lie down here for a while. My name's Alexis." she knelt down next to me "I have to admit, you had me worried for a while there. Not many people survive in the Miasma for that long..." she trailed off, thinking about something "Oh, what am I doing? You need to rest, I can't be bothering you right now." she stood up and walked away.

_What was that all about?_ I thought _Well, at least I know I'm safe now._ I closed my eyes _I might as well take her advice..._

* * *

Michael was explaining the situation to Roland, the town's patriarch, and why they were back so soon. Roland seemed to understand, telling Michael that he had a while before the crystal ran out of Myrrh, as they had always left a month before the crystal ran out, and they usually had plenty of time left when they got back. Michael then headed to his workshop to continue work on his sword.

Catherine was at her market in the south part of town, although there was no reason to, since she had already checked in on them before they left, and they were only gone for a total of five minutes. Left with nothing to do, she left for Alexis' house to check on the boy they had found.

Alexis' house was a mess, as usual. She seemed to be too busy on her research and brewing to focus on the house itself. Mostly that responsibility was left to her mother, and having two little brothers aged 7 and 9 didn't help matters either. On the couch laid the boy, eyes closed and motionless except for his breathing, which was steadily increasing in strength.

"Finally some good news..." Catherine said to herself "Hopefully we can learn more about him after all." She looked over him; As far as she could tell, he was Clavat. Then she noticed something "Wait a minute... Clavats don't have pointed ears." thinking about it, she couldn't recall any race with that feature, other than monsters. But he was clearly no monster; They thrived in the Miasma, while this boy was nearly killed by it "Perhaps we've found a new race?" She looked over at his equipment, set on the table nearby so that he would be more comfortable. Looking through it, she found many items, none of which she had found actually interesting. Useful, sure, but her market was mostly full as it was, and all the equipment she would ever need to take with her was the traditional Selkie Racket.

Next, she examined the sword and shield. There was nothing remarkable about the sword; This was more Michael's field, but she could tell that it was very basic, and just wasn't as good as his crafts. The shield, however, caught her attention. It appeared to have a reflective surface, and engraved on it were two birds, between them were three triangles arranged in a pyramid type of formation, leaving an upside-down triangular hole in the center. The triangles were the only part of the engraving that was colored, with them being golden. Along the outside rim of the shield was blue, and it appeared to be extremely well built. Maybe Michael had some competition after all...

Alexis walked into the room, greeting her "Ah, hello Catherine."

Catherine looked back at the shield in her hand "Have you seen this?"

"Yeah." Alexis walked over "It's very strange, huh? I've never seen that symbol before... What do you think it means?"

Catherine shrugged "Why should I care? I'm a thief, not a priest." she looked at the boy "If you really want to know, ask him."

"I wish I could..." Alexis hesitated "... but I can't. He's sleeping right now, and even if he were to wake up he would still be too weak to say much."

"I see. So, now that we know he'll be alright, how long will it take him to recover?"

"From the looks of it, he should be able to at least walk tomorrow. After that, it should take a couple of days for him to make a full recovery."

"That's good to hear." Catherine stared at the boy, thinking.

Alexis raised an eyebrow "I never knew you cared for strangers that much."

"It's not that. Looking closely, you can tell he's not part of any of the four races. I'd like to know where he came from, and about his race."

Alexis sighed. She came to expect this from her mentor, Catherine never cared for the lives of others. All she cared about was whether or not they had anything useful. She did have a point, though; Although he looked similar to a Clavat, his body structure was different than theirs, and he obviously wasn't a Selkie either, seeing the vast arrangement of equipment he kept with him.

"Well, I'm going to head back home. I might as well help my family run the buisness while I'm here, after all." Catherine knew that Alexis wasn't going to leave without ensuring her patient's safety.

"Alright, I'll see you later, then." Alexis replied as she walked to the boy. She wasn't going to leave his side anytime soon - She had always been like this, much more caring than the other Selkies. This was probably due, in part, to her life growing up. Unlike most Selkies who were born and raised in Leuda, Alexis' family lived in Tipa long before her birth. They grew tired of life in Leuda and, wanting to get away, they moved to Tipa. There, they settled down and had three children: Alexis and, about 12 years later, her two younger brothers, Samuel and Benjamin. As a result, Alexis was never introduced to the Selkies' hostile way of life, instead growing up with the much kinder Clavats in Tipa.

Alexis laid down on the opposite couch, staring at the boy in front of her. A dozen questions ran through her mind and, with no one available to answer them, they were slowly tormenting her. Even so, she kept silent, not wanting to interrupt her patient's rest, which would speed up the healing process quite a bit.

* * *

I awoke to the smell of cooked fish. Looking around the room, I could see a table in front of the couch I was laying on, with another couch on the opposite side, as well as several chairs on the ends. I could hear voices coming from a doorway, which seemed to lead to the kitchen. A few moments later, a girl - Alexis, the same girl from earlier - came out holding a tray in each hand.

"Good evening." She greeted me "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling-..." I said, coughing once more "a lot better now."

"That's good." She looked at the tray in her left hand "Do you like fish?"

I nodded, sitting up with some difficulty - I couldn't get myself completely upright, still laying on my side, but it would have to do - while Alexis set the trays down on the table, moving my equipment onto the floor next to the couch "Sam! Ben!" She called "Dinner's ready!"

In seconds, two little boys - Both around nine or ten years old - ran through the hallway into the room and sat down on the chairs. A woman in her early 40s walked in carrying plates and utensils for everyone.

"So, is this the one you were talking about?" She asked Alexis, who nodded "Well, it's very nice to meet you. What's your name?"

"Link." I answered "I take it you're Alexis' mother?"

She nodded "That's right; Amelia Selani. These are my sons, Samuel and Benjamin."

They waved at me happily "Hi!" "It's nice to meet you, Link!"

Amelia shushed them "Don't be so loud, please. Link is still not feeling well."

"Sorry..." They said in unison, making Alexis chuckle.

"Don't worry about them." She told me "My brothers are usually very hyper."

"It's fine." I said, giggling slightly myself "Although, they do seem perfectly synchronized."

"So it would seem. Anyway Link, if you don't mind, I'd like to get to know more about you."

"Fair enough. You saved me, after all."

"Alright..." Alexis said, struggling with where she should start "What race are you?"

I raised an eyebrow, but quickly remembered that this was another world "I'm a Hylian."

"What's that?" Benjamin asked.

"It's what I am." I answered plainly "I don't think it can get much simpler than that."

"Why do you have pointed ears?" Alexis asked.

"Well..." I started "No one's entirely sure themselves, but some theorize that it's so that we can hear the voices of the Gods."

"Where do you live?"

"I live on an island called Outset." I stopped for a moment, considering that I had left to search for New Hyrule "... Actually, I haven't been there in a while, now that I think about it."

"Where is that?"

"It's..." I actually wasn't sure. The portal Ariador created could have taken me _anywhere_. I just had to assume it was a long ways away "It's very far from here."

"I see. Do you miss your family?"

"Very much." I thought of Aryll, my sister, more than anything else "... I wonder how she's doing...?" I said to myself "And, more to the point... How am I going to get back?"

Alexis leaned forward "Huh? What are you mumbling?"

I shook my head "It's nothing." I answered. I'd have to figure that out later, for now I would just have to rest, after having been attacked by that mist. This thought brought my attention to something important "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions now?" I asked Alexis.

"No, go right ahead." She answered.

"Now, where I come from is very similar to this place, except for one thing: That strange, sparkling mist that I encountered when I first came here. What was that?"

They looked at each other "Where did you say you found him, again?" Amelia asked Alexis.

"Between Marr's Pass and Cathuridge Mine." She answered.

"That's in the center of the map, isn't it?"

"I assume he got a ride with a Caravan or something..." Alexis turned to me "... right?"

I shook my head "I got here a different way." I attempted to explain what I knew about the portals, and that they were the reason I was there in the first place.

"Wow..." Alexis didn't know what to say "So then, you had no idea that..."

"... that the mist was dangerous at all." I finished "I just assumed it was part of the landscape."

"No, the danger is prevelant in all of our minds." Amelia said.

"It's called the Miasma." Alexis explained "It's a poisonous gas that covers the entire world. Short-term contact will weaken most people, while long-term will cause almost certain death, even after escaping before that happens."

I coughed once again, which reminded me of the Miasma that I was coughing out "Wait, so does that mean...?!"

"Miasma is easily inhaled into the lungs - That's where it does its work. It uses the lungs as sort of a transportation hub; The body confuses it with oxygen, absorbing it into the blood and distributing it as such, so that it can attack every part of the body at once."

I shuddered as she finished "So, does that mean that it's _inside me_ right now?"

She nodded "Don't worry, though. Although you were certainly exposed to the Miasma long enough to get a lethal dose-"

"Using what she knew about Myrrh and plants," Samuel interrupted "Alexis made a cure!"

"Really?" I was amazed "Are you a doctor, then?"

"Well, not exactly." Alexis answered "I'm an alchemist, although my main focus is medicinal herbs and, of course, the Miasma cure. I know at least a little bit of everything, though. Everyone here treats me like a doctor though which, I have to admit, is kind of nice sometimes."

"So, is your cure why I've been coughing up Miasma?"

"Yep. Myrrh is well known for repelling Miasma, and it's the most important ingredient in my cure; It repels the Miasma and pushes it out of the lungs. It also uses several medicinal plants that, when mixed into a potion, is absorbed into the blood stream, helping the body fix most damage the Miasma would have done previously." she paused for a moment, thinking of something "Although, I'd be careful from here on out. My cure, while extremely effective, can't remove _all_ of the Miasma in your system. There will be some left - Not enough to do any kind of damage, but it will leave you even more susceptible to Miasma, meaning you'll be affected by it much quicker, and it will be much more unpleasant than the first time."

I sighed. Oh well, it couldn't be _all_ good, after all "I'll make note of that. So, why did you choose to be an alchemist?"

No one answered immediately, they just stared at each other for a few seconds "I guess you could say that it was because of my father..." Alexis answered.

"Is he an alchemist too?"

"No," Amelia said "he was a member of our Crystal Caravan."

"What's that?"

"It's a group of people that go out and collect Myrrh. See, each town is protected by a giant crystal filled with Myrrh, which keeps back the Miasma. However, the Myrrh's power doesn't last forever, and that's where the Caravans come in. Each town has a Crystal Caravan which goes out into the world to search for Myrrh Trees, which produce Myrrh. Along their way, they are protected by the Miasma by the town's Crystal Chalice, which they need to fill with Myrrh from the trees. A full Chalice is equal to a year of protection. Once they are finished they head back to their town, where the Patriarch then fills the crystal, protecting the town for another year."

"It's an extremely dangerous job, and he knew it." Alexis said "What he didn't know was that the group that was our Crystal Caravan at the time didn't care for the lives of others." She lowered her head "So, when he was badly injured by monsters, they just... Left him behind to die in the Miasma..."

"Hey, take it easy, Alexis..." Amelia tried to calm her down.

Alexis raised her head again, her eyes full of tears "I hate them so much!" She shouted "How about I break their legs and toss them into the Miasma? See how they like it!"

I was taken aback "Um, Alexis..." I tried to talk to her; This side of her was very unnerving "Please, calm down... I know how you feel."

She shot me a glare; If looks could kill, it would have killed all of a cat's nine lives "_No_!" she screamed "You have _no idea_ what it's like! Your parents probably gave you everything you wanted, huh? You don't know what it's like, losing a parent!"

"Alexis, I-"

"How could you even _think_ that you understand me? Your father was probably a soldier, and gave you those weapons, didn't he? Your family was likely rich because of it, too! You-"

I couldn't take it anymore "For the love of Nayru, _shut up already_!" I yelled back "You know _nothing_ about me! First of all, I got all of those items by _my own_ strength and power, they were _never_ given to me _at all_!" I stood up and, despite the immense pain I was feeling from my stiff and already aching legs, I continued "Second, don't you even _think_ I don't understand how you feel! I've been through more hardship than you could possibly go through in a lifetime! Third, you've only met me _today_, so don't you _dare_ assume _anything_ about my personal life! You are incorrect in _so many_ of your assumptions that, frankly, it's insulting!" I laid back down, facing away from them "... Just- Leave me alone for the time being, okay?!"

Alexis sat there for a moment "... Link, I-"

I turned around "NOW!"

With it obviously being unwise to be around me at this time, the family cleaned up everything and quickly left the room "I'm not even sure he was capable of yelling that loud, in his condition." I heard Alexis say as she left the room "And him standing up like that? I must have really struck a nerve..."

Once I was alone, I closed my eyes, trying to hold back my own tears, but failing. That argument brought back so many horrible memories, it just overwhelmed me. Soon after that, I fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Alexis laid awake that night, unable to sleep thinking about what had happened earlier that day. Maybe Link was right; In her anger, Alexis assumed way too much about him.

_But still..._ she thought _how could he possibly understand what it's like, to have your father die, unable to do anything about it?_ Her father has always been a very sensitive subject to her and, like she explained to Link before, he was the reason she began researching alchemy in the first place - It was a necessary step to finding the cure. She didn't want to admit it, but she felt guilty for his death, because she had convinced herself that she had the chance to stop it from happening _I know... that I could have saved him._ She had made up this whole story in her head about how her father looked sickly and, had she brought it up to him, Alexis could have convinced him to stay that year.

Of course, as time went by she realized that even if that were true, the Caravan needed his support, and he wouldn't leave them just because he looked sick. He would have insisted he was fine and went anyway, so his death was unavoidable.

"I was hard on him..." Alexis said to herself, thinking about Link "I judged him wrongly, and I yelled at him for something that wasn't even his fault." she stood up from her bed "The least I can do is apologize to him."

* * *

I was awoken by the sound of footsteps. As soon as I realized this, I sprung to my feet - trying to ignore the pain like I did last time - and grabbed my sword and shield from the ground, readying myself for a fight. I couldn't see who it was very clearly in the dark, but someone was standing a few feet away from the couch.

"Woah!" I heard Alexis' voice "Calm down, it's me!"

I lowered my guard and sat back down on the couch "What do you want?" I asked sharply "Are you here to chew me out some more?"

She lowered her head, looking away "No..." She said "I just wanted to say that... I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"... What?"

"Was I too quiet for you?"

"No, it's just... After that whole ordeal, this was the _last_ thing I expected."

"_You've only met me today, don't assume anything about me_." she mimicked me "Now you're starting to sound like a hypocrite."

I chuckled "Well, looks like I need to work on that, then."

"... You tried to tell me that you understood how I felt..." Alexis said "So, does that mean that you've lost someone important too?"

"Not just one person..." I responded "Both of my parents, and I nearly lost my sister too."

She sat down next to me "Three family members? How do you possibly keep your cool?"

I looked at her "Didn't you see? I didn't." I laid back on the couch "The further you went in your yelling at me, making incorrect assumptions, my own anger grew and grew until I finally cracked."

"And judging from what happened, you cracked hard. Really hard. In fact, your condition would not, by any stretch, have allowed you to yell that loudly. And standing for that long would have been nearly impossible, to boot."

"I didn't care about that. All I cared about at the time was correcting your mistake."

"Your parents..." Alexis got back on track "What happened to them?" after several seconds of silence, she realized exactly what she was asking "Oh! I'm sorry! If you don't want to talk about it..."

"No, it's fine." I insisted "I've already relived those days all over again. If I were to tell you about it, now would be the best time to do it."

"Yeah, Of course... Alright, I'm listening."

* * *

I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I was about 7 years old at the time. My father was a swordsman alongside Orca, our island's swordmaster - Although he preferred spears, he could wield a sword just as well. I learned everything I know from Orca, and I can only imagine what it must have been like having him as a friend.

But I'm getting off track, aren't I? It happened on a regular day; I was at the top of the watchtower on the island, playing with the seagulls. Then I saw something in the distance: A Pirate ship, heading right for Outset. I ran back as fast as I could, warning everyone about the pirates. Orca and my father prepared to defend the island, while everyone else hid in their homes. I watched as they fought and were defeated, my father being captured.

Holding him hostage, the pirates demanded ransom from the people of the island. When we gave them the money they wanted - 500 rupees, it was kind of ridiculous - the captain ran his sword through my father's heart anyway, as if it was his intention to kill no matter what happened, and left.

* * *

"Th-... That's terrible...!" Alexis said, shocked.

I nodded "I remember everything clearly to this day... Ever since then, I've always hated pirates and people like them."

Alexis thought of Catherine, afraid of what Link might think of her; After all, she was considered the greatest thief in the world. Of course, there was a difference between thieves and pirates, but the general concept was the same: Do what it takes to get what you want. The difference, of course, was their method of doing so. Pirates were more upfront and aggressive, while thieves preferred to be silent, avoiding conflict unless absolutely necessary. With this information, it was difficult to determine how Link would react to Catherine. Would he be hostile towards her? Or maybe he might just not care at all...

Alexis decided it was time to move on "What about your mother?"

"She was a well-known trader all across the Great Sea." I explained "Even I don't know what happened, one day - about three months after my father died, and one month after my sister, Aryll, was born - she just never returned. A few days later, we recieved reports that someone had found remnants of her ship, but couldn't find the cause of the wreckage, and no bodies were ever found."

"That must be horrifying, not knowing what her fate was..."

"It is... With both my parents gone, my grandmother took me and Aryll in, and has been taking care of us ever since." _Well, I say "us",_ I thought _but at this point it's just Aryll._

"And then you almost lost your sister, too... I'm sorry."

I looked at her "What's there to be sorry for? It's not your fault."

"No, I'm talking about earlier today, when I yelled at you." She lowered her head "I should've thought about what I was saying."

"... Hey." I lifted her head up to face me "It's okay. You were angry, and you had every right to be. Those guys killed your father, and that can't be forgiven." I paused for a moment "Now go and get some sleep. Staying up late isn't good for you."

She nodded and left to her bedroom "Good night, Link." She said as she walked out.

I laid back down "Good night, Alexis..."

* * *

"Ah, perfect!" Michael observed his new sword "I don't think I've ever seen a better piece of work in my life."

"What about your shield?" Catherine asked, standing in the doorway.

"I don't consider things that aren't in the same group." he replied, unfased by Catherine's sudden appearance "How's the kid?"

"He should be fine, Alexis has it covered."

"Has she talked to him?"

"Yeah, she relayed their conversation to me this morning..."

* * *

"... Hmm..." Alexis knelt down, examining Link's equipment "_I got all of those items by my own strength and power, they were never given to me at all..._" she repeated "He must have been through a lot to get all of these... Although, most of them don't even seem like weapons." she picked up a strange purple crystal that had a ball inside, with patterns on it that were glowing "And I have no idea what this is. Maybe some kind of special possession, a family heirloom perhaps?"

"Well, it is that." I said, startling her "Just not from _my_ family; It was given to me by a friend."

"Oh, Link!" Alexis instinctively hid the crystal "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, it's fine." I answered, standing up "Although I would appreciate it if you gave me back my Magic Armor Crystal..."

"Oh, right." she put it in my outstretched hand "I'm sorry, I was just curious."

"Alexis, it's fine." I told her as I put it in my pouch, which I strapped on along with my sword and shield "Don't worry about it."

She nodded "Okay. How about I get us something to eat, then I can take you on a tour of the town?"

"That sounds wonderful, thank you."

Alexis nodded again, heading into the kitchen and coming out again a few seconds later with some fruit.

"Those look good." I observed as she set them down on the table "Although, there's something off about them..."

She giggled "They're fine, you're just used to a different kind of fruit." she was assuming things again, but I let it slide this time because she was correct; The apples she laid out had orange stripes on them... Or were they orange, and had red stripes? I don't know, but I didn't really care, grabbing one anyway and taking a bite out of it.

It was extremely sweet, it was as if the inside was pure sugar "This is amazing!" I said.

She giggled "Thanks! These are popular all across the world, there's something inside them that makes them very sweet. I have no idea how those Clavats do it, but I have to figure out their secret someday..."

We both laughed together "What are Clavats?" I asked, still smiling.

"Oh, that's right. You aren't from around here, are you? I need to stop forgetting that." she grabbed a bunch of grapes, which were different colors depending on where they grew in the bunch, which created a rainbow "You see, there are four races across the whole world; The Clavats, Selkies, Yukes, and Lilties. The Clavats are a very kind people who mainly take up jobs in farming, providing food for everyone from their homeland, the Fields of Fum. They're also the ones who invented the Striped Apples and Rainbow Grapes. The Lilties are a very aggressive race, despite their small size. They mostly live in Clavat villages and Alfitaria, the Lilty capital city. At one point in history, they aspired to conquer the world, and actually succeeded... For a while, anyway. They ran out of resources to maintain such a large empire, and it shrunk down to the land around Alfitaria and Cathuridge Mine."

"They conquered the whole world?" I asked "That's quite a feat..." it reminded me of Ganondorf, who had tried to do the same thing twice by himself. The first time, the Hero of Time stopped him, and the second time, I was the one to do so.

"Yes, it is. Of course, the Lilties had a very large and impressive army to do so with. Then there are the Yukes... We actually don't know much about them. They live in Shella, which you can only get to if you are a Yuke yourself. Otherwise, you have to have a Mark of Shella with you to gain access. They have a large amount of knowledge of the world, and are very proficient magic users. In fact, because of this people have been speculating that they are actually spirits, and the armor they wear are their physical bodies. See, nobody knows what they actually look like, since their armor covers their entire body..." Alexis realized she was dragging on; Mainly because she was worried about what Link would think about the Selkies - The race that _she_ was a member of.

"... Is something wrong?" I asked. She didn't respond, apparently thinking about something "What is it?"

"I'm concerned..." she finally said "About this next race, the Selkies... I'm worried about what you might think of them."

"And why is that?"

"Because of what you said last night: You hate pirates, and _people like them_. The Selkies are a race that's been looked down upon for many years, because of their common trade: Thievery."

I laid back "Oh?"

She cringed, not liking the sound of that "Selkies have a naturally high agility, which they use to great effect in thieving. They mostly wear clothing made from the skins of animals they've killed in the past."

I started to be concerned about where this was going; She herself had animal skin clothing "Where are you going with this?"

"My race is almost completely made up of thieves..."

"So, you're a Selkie?" I couldn't believe it "You were a thief the whole time?! No wonder you were going through my stuff!"

"No, it's not like that..." She said "I'm not like the other Selkies! Me and my brothers were born and raised here in Tipa - A Clavat village. Most Selkies are very good thieves because they grew up in a community that is full of them, so they resort to stealing in return in order to keep ahead. I was never exposed to that at all, living in a much more friendly Clavat community, so I never developed that skill."

"If that's so, then how do you know all of this?" I asked.

_Here it comes..._ Alexis thought "I have a friend in town- Actually no, I shouldn't say that... She's my mentor; Another Selkie. In fact, some would consider her the greatest thief in the world. She's the one that told me all of this."

"Why is she your mentor?"

"Because the Selkies are returning to the mainland and I wanted to be able to protect myself from them. In order to do that, I had to understand how they think, and the best way to do that was to learn how to do it myself... I never had the intention of stealing anything from you, Link."

"Alright, I believe you. Thank you for telling me this yourself, Alexis" had I figured out another way, I would likely have assumed the worst and left without saying anything.

She smiled "You're welcome. Now, how about I give you that tour?" she asked, standing up.

"That would be great." I answered, walking out the door with her.


	4. Chapter 4

It was a bright sunny day as we stepped outside of Alexis' house... Or maybe that was because I was inside for the all of yesterday, but whatever. There were children playing in their yards, as well as people just walking around. Most of them were Clavats, but I also saw what I determined to be Lilties based on Alexis' description, and Yukes identifiable by their armor. I saw a giant crystal in the center of town, immediately assuming it was just an artifact put on display for all to see.

This was also the first time I had actually gotten a better look at Alexis; Along with her white animal hide armor, she also had cuffs of fur, and had long blue shoulderpads. Her hair was the most perfect shade of golden blonde you would ever see - It almost seemed to sparkle in the sunlight.

"Alright, shall we get started?" Alexis asked arbitrarily "Why not start with the crystal, then work our way through the town?"

I nodded "Whatever you think is best." and we headed to the crystal in the center of town.

"Here it is..." She said as we approached "Every year, we Caravanners gather Myrrh to be infused into this crystal..."

"So, you're a Caravanner too?"

She nodded "Me, as well as a friend and my mentor."

"Seems like a dangerous job for just three people."

"There aren't many people that volunteer for the job, so most Crystal Caravans consist of around three or four people. It usually works out just fine, though."

I sighed "It still doesn't sound like the best idea..."

"Anyway, let's continue on, shall we?" Alexis changed the subject, and we started heading to what looked like a workshop "Here's my friend's house. He's a blacksmith, which is unusual for a Clavat."

"A blacksmith, huh?"

Inside, there were two people talking to each other. The first was a Clavat who had a green trim on his white clothing, and he was holding a hammer. Behind him was a sword, still glowing red slightly, and a teal shield that, even from this distance, looked very durable.

In front of him was another Selkie girl, wearing the same animal hide that Alexis did, but this one was black. She also had fur cuffs, and her shoulderpads were of the same design as Alexis', but they were yellow instead of her blue. Her hair was a light blue color, and reached just past her shoulders.

They both looked at us as we came in "Hi, Alexis." the Clavat greeted "I see your friend is much better."

We walked closer to them "Yep, he's just fine now." Alexis said "Although you can still see a small sparkle in his breath from time to time."

I looked down; She was right, with every breath I made I exhaled a small amount of Miasma. That meant Alexis' cure was still working on helping me "It's nice to meet you..." I said, looking up at the Clavat "My name is Link."

"I know." He responded "Catherine here told me about your conversation last night." he shook my hand "I'm Michael, the blacksmith here in town."

"Hey, Michael." Alexis said "Do you know if Emily's family is back yet? I used the last of my fish for dinner last night."

Michael nodded "Yeah, they're back. They should be in their house; Just go to the market and head west from there, it should be right there."

"Thank you. I'll let you guys get aquainted with each other, then." Alexis said as she walked out the door "I'll see you later, Link. Then I can show you the rest of Tipa."

"Sounds good." I replied "I'll just wait right here."

"So..." Michael started as Alexis left "You're from a land called Hyrule, right?"

"Yeah, you could say that." I didn't want to have to explain how Hyrule was buried underneath the Great Sea, since they probably wouldn't believe me anyway.

"I've never heard of a place like that before. And I'm a little bit skeptical about your whole portal story..."

"Believe whatever you want." I said "That doesn't mean it's not true."

"And I will, I don't like people telling me what to think. My mind is my own, I can do what I please with it."

"Well, it's good to see you have a strong will." I complimented, then started looking around at the many weapons and armor hung throughout the room "I wonder if your crafts are as strong."

"I'm the best blacksmith you'll find around here." Michael boasted

"That's because you're the _only_ blacksmith around here..." Catherine mumbled

"...Go ahead, take a look for yourself." Michael said, ignoring her comment

I picked up a sword from the rack nearby, looking it over. It was a single-edged sword that seemed very well built; It showed signs of continued use, but no damage to the blade itself was apparent, and it was extremely sharp. The other swords I saw were of the same design, increasing in strength with each model. I put the one in my hands back "These are impressive. Although I'm curious as to why you only have single-edged swords."

"Those are the kinds of swords Clavats use." Michael explained "It's the only kind anyone ever sees anymore..." he paused for a moment, thinking "Don't take this the wrong way, but because of that I assumed your sword was single-edged too."

"No, it's double edged." I said, detaching it from my belt and tossing it to him "Have a look."

He drew it and examined it, not saying anything. Eventually he sheathed it and tossed it back "It's straight and to the point, I'll give it that." he commented "It's very plain with no aesthetic value at all. Of course, I've certainly seen swords better crafted than that."

"It's been used for a long time now." I said "I've actually probably needed a new one for a while, I just haven't found one yet."

He tilted his head "Haven't found one?"

I glared at him "Hey, it's not my fault nobody on Outset decided to go into blacksmithing."

He sighed "Alright. So I suppose I'm the one to craft you a sword, right?"

"Now's as good a time as any, I guess."

"Right. But I'm going to have to charge you for it."

"No problem..." I realized that they might not have the same currency as the Hylians - Having 5000 Rupees would mean absolutely nothing here "...Actually, it might be a problem."

"What is it?"

"The currency us Hylians use are called Rupees." I said, pulling a red one out of my wallet "I doubt you have the same thing."

He shook his head "No, we don't. We use Gil here... Or gold pieces, if you prefer" he pulled out a gold coin "From the looks of it, one of your Rupees is likely worth more than one Gil."

"By how much, do you think?"

"I don't know..."

Catherine, who had been leaning against a wall this whole time, started walking over "I could tell you."

I hesitated to give it to her, knowing her reputation "Catherine, Alexis told me about you..."

"Don't worry." She quickly responded "I won't take it from you."

"That's not very reassuring..."

"Just give me the gem." She demanded

I put it in her outstretched hand, and she examined it "This one would be worth about... two thousand Gil, I'd say."

"Alright, that's pretty simple, then." I commented, thankful that there wouldn't be too much math involved in exchanges "That one's worth twenty Rupees where I come from."

"Alright, how about we make a trade then?" she suggested "I think two thousand is a good amount to get you started, don't you?"

I nodded. I could part with twenty Rupees, especially since they were useless here.

Catherine gave me the Gil and pocketed the Rupee "I could probably turn up a profit for this, anyway."

I turned to Michael "Is she a salesperson or something?" I asked him

"Didn't Alexis tell you?" he replied "She and her family run the market in town. They've been making a fortune out of it!"

"I see... Making a larger profit from mugging people, are you?"

"Stealing." Catherine corrected "Mugging implies that you're hurting someone intentionally. I prefer to avoid conflict whenever possible."

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Mugging, stealing, piracy, it's all the same to me."

"Then you've got a lot to learn, kid."

"I don't need this right now..." I turned and walked away, not wanting yet another conflict on my second day here. As I leaned against the wall outside Alexis passed by, apparently not noticing me. I could hear the conversation they had from where I stood.

"Where did Link go?" Alexis asked.

"He went outside." Michael answered.

"I have no idea what his problem is..." Catherine commented "Are you sure we should have saved him?"

"What do you mean?" Alexis asked "Of course I am!"

Catherine sighed "Of course _you_ would say that, Alexis."

"He doesn't exactly seem like the nicest of people..." Michael noted.

"Well, that depends..." Alexis started "I think that might have been because of you and what you do, Catherine."

"I noticed. So what's his deal?"

"You see, his home was attacked by a band of pirates... They took his father hostage, and once they got the money they wanted they killed him anyway."

Catherine let out a hiss of disgust "Pirates. Those savages have no sense of honor whatsoever."

I couldn't help but laugh a little bit _And what right do you have to say that, miss thief? It's not like you're any better._

"I can't argue with that." Michael said "Still, it must be hard losing his father like that. Hey, maybe he's just like you, Alexis! After all, you lost your father too, right? And I'm sure his mother is the one taking care of his family." There was a slight pause as Alexis stayed silent "...Right?"

"I'm afraid not." Alexis answered him "He lost his mother to an unknown incident out in the middle of the ocean..."

"So he's an orphan?" Catherine asked rhetorically "Gee, I feel kind of sorry for him now..."

"Catherine, don't be so sarcastic about it." Michael told her "He's probably been through a lot of hard times because of it."

"Anyway..." Alexis continued "Ever since his father's death, he hasn't trusted anyone pirate or similar, and is very hostile towards them."

I smirked _Well, that's not entirely true. There was Tetra and her pirates, but that was only a temporary thing in order to save Aryll. Even so, though..._

"Seems reasonable, I guess." Catherine said "Alright, I get it. He just needs to understand that I'm different from the others."

"I don't think it'll be that easy..." Alexis said "Trust is something you have to earn, you don't just get it like that."

"I'm not asking for his trust; On the contrary, I'd recommend staying alert at all times, if I were him. The only person you can fully trust is yourself. Anyone else and it will only get you killed. I'm asking that he understand where I'm coming from, and the kind of person I am."

My smirk turned into a full smile _She has her priorities straight, that's for sure. Although I wouldn't entirely agree with her assessment of trust, I do admit that you can't trust everyone._

I walked away, it seemed like they were going to be talking for a while, and I had already heard all that I needed to. With no particular place to go, I started wandering the town aimlessly. I passed by several houses, as well as what would appear to be Catherine's market, as it was run by a family of Selkies.

Continuing further, I rounded a corner and fell backwards as somebody ran full-force into me. It was a young Clavat, it looked like she was still in her teens. She had straight brown hair that went all the way down her back to her hips.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" She apologized, looking around "Oh no!"

Surrounding us on the ground were fish, lots of fish. The box that the girl was holding had smashed into the ground, scattering its contents all over the place.

"Sorry..." I said, getting up "Here, let me help you with this."

"Thank you. I need to go get another box, wait here."

She ran off in the direction she came from while I gathered up the fish. She quickly came back with a box the same size as the other one; About the size of a beach ball, and twice as long. She set it down and helped gather the rest of the fish.

"I'm so sorry for troubling you with this..." She said.

"No, I should be the one apologizing." I replied "I wasn't paying attention. Besides, why would I be helping you if it wasn't my fault?"

She smiled; I have to admit, she was very cute. She had those childlike features that you just can't help but smile back at "Thanks! You're a nice person, you know that?"

"Nicer than most, I suppose. By the way, I'm Link."

"It's nice to meet you, Link. My name is Emily."

"It's nice to meet you, too. Just out of curiosity, where are you taking these?"

"Over to the blacksmith's place." She replied, giggling "Somebody ordered a whole box of fish for them. It must be some kind of prank, since the blacksmith there doesn't even like fish."

"Ah, I see." I said as I placed the last fish inside the box "Mind if I tag along? I need to get back there anyway."


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for getting this out so late; Several things happened, and I forgot all about it until now. First, me and my friend Arouthor had a bit of an argument online. Then he suggested a "Massive Reading Program," where basically us and a bunch of people get together online and we make characters for the story he has in mind for us. This is possibly to make up for the aforementioned argument, but it's likely just something he's wanted to do for a while.

Anyway, since I'm so excited about this I completely forgot about everything else, meaning that this, my YouTube channel, and pretty much everything else I have online has ground to a halt in anticipation for this. Once again, I'm sorry, and I'll try to update as frequently as I can. No promises, though; Once I get this excited about something, it's difficult for me to concentrate on anything else. However, when the program starts up, I'll give a link in the very next chapter afterwards, and most updates will be there.

By the way, you might actually want to read it when it happens, since I'm planning to get _much_ more in-depth with Ariador's character, since that's the character I've picked, as he was the easiest and most interesting to write into it.

But I've held you up long enough already so, without further adieu, let's continue on Link's journey!

* * *

I stayed silent as we entered Michael's workshop "Surprise surprise, Michael!" Emily said as she set down the box she was holding "I have a delivery for you!"

Michael glared at Alexis "Don't tell me..."

She grinned "Yes, I did."

"You know I don't like fish, Alexis."

"Aw, come on Michael, it's only a joke!" Alexis laughed "Besides, Emily's family needs the money anyway."

"Yeah, but what am I going to do with all this?"

"You could eat it, it's not _that_ bad."

"I would rather die, you know that right?"

"Then why did you pick a _fisher_ as your girlfriend?"

"That has nothing to do with it."

I stepped away as they continued on, and Catherine joined me "You know, Michael's taking this too seriously..."

"Yep." I replied "I'm not going to bother throwing in any suggestions though - I've been involved in three arguments since coming here, I'd rather not add a fourth one."

"I see." She stayed silent for a second "Alexis told me about your parents, after that fight we had..."

I didn't say anything, not even looking at her. _Choose your words carefully, Catherine._ she thought to herself _You don't want to screw this up._ "I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I just want you to know that, like I said before, there's a difference between us thieves and the pirates."

"Yeah, I know." I said "I'm sorry for treating you like I did, I was out of line. It's just that, living on the sea the only people you see are adventurers, traders, and pirates. Sure, on the islands there are a few thieves, but since each island is so small, with a small community living on them, they are a rare occurence. Most people just resort to piracy."

"So does this mean we're on friendly ground?"

I smiled, quickly grabbing her hand, which was attempting to reach into my pouch "Not yet. I've still got my eye on you."

"Well, looks like we've got a smart one." Catherine smiled back "This'll be interesting."

"I doubt it. The next time I catch you trying that, I'll cut your hand off. Speaking of which... Hey, Michael. How much did you want for that sword you were going to craft me?"

"For a regular Iron Sword, I'll charge you 100 Gil."

"Are there other options?"

"That's the best I can get you without any specific materials, which I don't have right now."

"Right." I walked up and gave him 100 coins "There you go. How long should it take?"

"Considering how long his last job took him, a week at best." Catherine joked.

Michael sighed "For this one, I'm not trying to break my record, nor am I making it for myself. Worst case scenario, I'll have it ready for you in a couple days. That's _worst case_, however - Only if something goes wrong partway through and I have to fix it. That doesn't happen, it'll be ready for you tomorrow afternoon."

"Alright, I'll see you then." I walked out as Michael prepared to work, Alexis and Catherine following.

"So, I guess I should show you the rest of the town then, huh?" Alexis said.

I shook my head "No need, I did that myself while you guys were talking."

"Oh... Sorry."

"It's fine. You needed to talk to Catherine and Michael, and I decided that would be a good time to look around."

"Yeah. So, what do you want to do now?"

"I think I'll head back to your place for now. Maybe take a nap or something; These past few nights haven't exactly been restful."

"Alright then, I'll see you later then." Alexis waved as I started walking back to her place.

I waved back "You too."

* * *

Emily set the box down and knocked on the Selani's door. Inside the box was the fish that Alexis had ordered for Michael; He didn't want them, so Alexis offered to take them off his hands.

Nobody answered. Sighing, she knocked again a little harder, to see that the door hadn't been closed all the way. Pushing it open, Emily picked up the box and brought it inside. Setting it on the nearby couch, she spotted Link sleeping on the other couch, his stuff placed on the table between them.

Out of curiosity, Emily started to look through his stuff. She was always like this; Even though she was 18, she never really grew up, always having childish impulses and features. Her parents tried getting her to act her age, but eventually it was deemed an impossible task, as she had somehow stopped maturing at the age of seven, unable to progress any further.

Emily pulled out an orange telescope, decorated with seagulls, and etched on the side was a name: _Aryll_

_Who could that be?_ Emily thought _Wait, what's this?_ She saw a piece of paper next to where she had found the telescope, neatly folded as if it was something to be treasured. Unfolding it, Emily started reading it:

_Hey, Big Brother! It's me, Aryll! It's been a while since we've been together, hasn't it? I hope you're not lonely without me, but I shouldn't worry since you have the pirates with you. I miss you a lot, Big Brother... I hope you can come back soon. It's not just me, either; We all miss you. It's been really quiet ever since you left. Oh, by the way, you never gave back my telescope, Big Brother! Don't worry though, I'm sure you'll need it for your journey. Just don't go thinking it's yours now, you hear me? I'll be getting it back the next time we see each other! Well, I need to go, Grandma needs help with her chores, then I'm going to go play with Joel and Zill. See you later, Big Brother!_

_Aryll_

_Wow..._ Emily thought as she finished reading _I wonder what happened, for him to have to leave his family behind like that? He must miss them too..._ She folded the letter back to the way it was before, placing it back in the pouch with the telescope. A little depressed now, Emily headed out the door, closing it on the way out as she had forgotten to earlier.


	6. Chapter 6

Not much else happened that day; Alexis woke me up for dinner, we all played a couple of board games Amelia had stashed away, and we went to sleep shortly after. As I sat down on the couch, I started going through my stuff, which had somehow become disorganized. As I sorted through all of it, I came across a letter I had received from Aryll, and started to read it again.

Unbeknownst to me, Alexis had walked into the room, not quite wanting to go to sleep yet. As she walked over, she saw me sitting on the couch reading the letter, and started to read it herself.

"Is that from your sister?" She asked, startling me.

"Yeah..." I replied, holding back tears.

She sat down next to me "Hey, don't worry, okay? It'll be alright."

"How can you be sure? I don't have the means to go home, and even if I did I still have to find New Hyrule before I can see her again."

"We'll find a way to get you back, Link." She put her hand on my shoulder "I promise."

I closed my eyes "Thank you, Alexis. That means a lot to me..."

She got up and let me lay down "But for now, get some sleep. You'll be coming with us on our caravan tomorrow."

"Why?"

"For two reasons: I want to get to know more about you, and it might be good for you to know the land, in case you're here for a long time - Which, considering the circumstances, is very likely. Besides, it'll be easier for us to find your home if you're there to confirm it for us, since you know what you're looking for."

"Right, good night then."

"Good night, Link."

* * *

I woke up early the next morning, everyone else in the house was still asleep. I finished sorting through my things and walked outside, quickly shielding my eyes from the rising sun. I strolled through the town for a bit until I came to the fisher's house - where Emily lives - seeing a cart with a large blue creature attached to the front of it. On each side was marked "_Tipa Caravan._"

I patted the creature with my hand "Well big guy, looks like I'll be sticking with you for a while..."

"Actually, Shena's a girl." Catherine said from behind "Well, look at you, you're up early."

"Is there anything wrong with that?"

"No, I'm just used to being the only one up at this time."

"I see. Did Alexis tell you about my coming with you?"

"I was the one who came up with the idea in the first place. Alexis jumped on it quickly, and Michael had no objections. Of course, you don't have to come if you don't want to, I'm sure Alexis didn't tell you that."

"No, she didn't. And I don't have much else to do, so I'm coming anyway."

"Alright. We'll be leaving once everyone's ready. Don't forget to grab your new sword from Michael when it's done, though."

"As long as we don't leave before it's ready, that won't be a problem. I'll also grab some food and water before we go."

"You don't have to worry about that, Alexis is in charge of our provisions this year. But it's good that you are trying to be as prepared as possible, I like people like that. Too many nowadays just jump into the world without thinking about what could be waiting for them."

"Believe me, if you were to go through what I have, you'd be prepared too."

She nodded "That is true." I'm sure she was thinking about my near-death experience a couple of days ago, but I was referring to my adventure across the Great Sea.

I leaned up against the cart "So, what kind of things should I be expecting out there?"

"Well, judging by our path this year, we'll just be fighting basic monsters. Good for you; It'll give you a chance to get used to your new sword."

"Oh yeah. that's right." In my life, I had only wielded two swords: The sword Orca gave me and the Master Sword. I hadn't thought about what kind of differences there would be in the sword Michael was making.

"Oh, by the way, I've been meaning to ask you something for a while now..."

"Go on."

"That shield you're carrying, does the design on the front mean anything to you?"

I unhooked my shield from my back "This?" I set it on the floor in front of me, and Catherine walked over, kneeling down next to me "The two birds on the sides are representations of the Loftwings, which are said to have been giant birds that we Hylians used to ride across the land with. I personally don't believe it myself, but that's what they are regardless."

"I see. That would certainly be useful here."

"Unfortunately they're long since extinct."

"What about this?" She pointed to the Triforce in the middle.

"That's the Triforce, an ancient relic that was passed down to us by the Goddesses after they had created the land."

"So, it's a religious symbol?"

I nodded, and she pumped her fist in victory "Yes! I knew it, now Michael has to pay up."

"Um, did you guys make a bet over my shield?"

"Yeah, I told him I thought that triangle thing-"

"Triforce." I corrected her. I'd heard enough insulting names for the Triforce from the Man-Fish across the Great Sea, I didn't need another one.

"...Right. Anyway, I told him I thought it was a religious symbol. Michael thought otherwise, and we made a bet out of it."

"...Okay then..."

"Oh, right. Sorry, you can continue."

I looked at her for a second longer before continuing "So, the Triforce has the power to grant the wish of anyone who touches it." Catherine was suddenly interested, although I couldn't tell if it was out of greed or some other emotion "However, it will only do so if the person has a balance of the three virtues: Power, wisdom, and courage. If they do not have that balance, the Triforce will split into three pieces, leaving the person with the piece that most represents their spirit. The other two become dormant in the bodies of those chosen by the Goddesses, and the one that found the Triforce must then find them in order to summon it and obtain his wish."

"Where is the Triforce right now?"

"That, I don't know." I never actually saw where it went after the King used it to flood Hyrule "Nobody knows."

"Oh, that's a shame..."

"Why?"

"That's none of your business."

I shrugged. Perhaps she wanted to find it and wish for infinite riches or something trivial like that. However, something told me that wasn't it. I picked up the Mirror Shield and reattached it "If you insist..."

Alexis walked up to us "Hello, you two."

"Good morning, Alexis" I replied.

"How are you feeling today, Link?"

"I'm doing great, you?"

She shrugged "Can't complain, I guess. Been having some trouble with my potions, I guess I'm just having one of those days."

"Good thing you made some beforehand." Catherine said.

"Well, I kinda had to, seeing as we had to leave once before."

"True. Is Michael up yet?"

"Yeah, he's been up for a while working on Link's sword. I think when he said 'tomorrow afternoon' he wasn't planning on getting up until later in the morning, so it'll be done fairly soon."

"Alright, once he's done we'll set off."

Alexis turned to me "Are you ready to go, Link?"

"Yep." I replied "I can't wait to explore this land. I wonder what we'll find?" Ever since my first adventure, I'd always wanted to explore new places. And while it's true that I'd been exploring already before all this, we never actually found any land - Just a never ending ocean.

"Hopefully we won't run into anything we can't handle."

"Come on, Alexis." Catherine shook her head "You know we've fought with pretty much every big boss monster the world has to throw at us, right?"

Alexis shrugged "You never know, we could run into something new this year."

"Yeah, like we have _all_ the other years..." Catherine said sarcastically "We've been doing this for how long? Six years now? I think we've seen it all."

"Yeah, sounds like it..." I said, my thoughts turning to Ariador. _Had he been here before? And if so, did he meet the Tipa Caravan? _Many questions began to float around in my head. _If not, and he was still around, would they be able to handle him?_

"I'm sorry, what did you say, Link?" Alexis asked.

"Whoops, did I say that out loud?" I shook my head, confident that we'd be able to take him if he crossed paths with us "I'm just thinking about something, I'm sure it won't be a problem."

"It's alright." Alexis looked behind me "Hey, there's Michael!"

I turned around and saw Michael, holding the sword he had crafted for me in his hands in an ornate sheath. It was golden and decorated with jewels on each side; Emeralds were on one side and sapphires on the other.

"Hey, guys." He said as he walked up to us "Here's your sword, Link." he gave it to me "I hope it's to your liking."

I drew the sword "Lightweight... Extends a little bit farther than Orca's sword, but not as far as the Master Sword... The hilt is fairly ornate." It was decorated similarly to the sheath, golden with four gemstones on each side. In between the two center gemstones on each side was a design, kind of similar to a wing "What's this symbol in the center of the hilt?"

"That's the mark of the Clavats. I generally put them on all of my crafts."

"Speaking of Symbols..." Catherine said "You need to pay up, Michael."

"Dang, you were right?" Both me and Catherine nodded "Alright, here you go." Michael tossed a handful of Gil to Catherine.

"You're a few Gil short..."

Michael silently tossed a few more coins to Catherine, who smiled as she caught them "You were always so gullible, Michael." I heard her whisper to herself, then she saw me glare at her for a second "What?"

"You know I don't have these pointed ears for nothing, right?" I told her "I can hear things better than you can, most likely."

"So what? It just means I can't say anything like that about you without risking a punch to the gut or something, big deal."

I sighed "Well anyway, we're all here, so shall we go?" I asked as I sheathed my new sword.

They nodded and we climbed on board the wagon, with Michael taking the reins. Meanwhile, I detached my shield again, replaced Orca's sword with Michael's, and reattached everything, placing Orca's sword in my pouch.

"What are you going to do with your old sword?" Alexis asked me.

"I plan to give it back to its former owner: My island's swordmaster, Orca. He would like to have it back if I'm not going to use it."


End file.
